Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

royal palm

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Roystonea regia

Family:

Arecaceae (Palmae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

50-100 ft tall by 15-30 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow,NA

Fruit Color:

NA

Phenology:

Evergreen. Life span 100+ years (Nelson 2003).

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Hurricane Wind Resistance, Interesting Foliage, Interesting Bark

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen plant or street tree.

Considerations:

This is a tall palm, make sure it has room to grow.

Availability:

Quality Nurseries, Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

10A,10B,11

Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval host for monk skipper (Minno & Minno 1999)

Various birds and other wildlife eat the fruit.

Native Habitats:

Tropical rockland hammock, Everglades tree islands.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Old fronds can be extremely heavy and are known to damage buildings when they fall (Haele and Brookwell 1999), so save the palm by not planting it overly close to a building.